Governor McKee Slams Trump Administration for Denying Rhode Island’s Appeal for Federal Blizzard Disaster Relief

Published on Thursday, September 03, 2026

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s denial of Rhode Island’s appeal of the President’s decision to withhold federal disaster relief funding for the Blizzard of 2026, despite Rhode Island exceeding FEMA’s threshold for federal disaster assistance. Rhode Island received federal disaster relief following snowstorms in 2013, 2015, and 2022, all storms that produced significantly less snow. 

“A new low for President Trump: playing political games with disaster relief funding.  

Rhode Island worked with cities and towns to submit all the necessary data to the federal government and exceeded the threshold to qualify for disaster relief. President Trump responded by turning his back on Rhode Island and shifting the financial burden for this blizzard entirely onto our communities and taxpayers.   

It’s beyond reason.   

This was the largest blizzard in Rhode Island history: five inches of snow per hour, with a total of 37.9 inches in less than 24 hours and hurricane-force winds that left tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders without power. 

We brought in our National Guard and secured resources from across New England to clear roads quickly. We worked with local communities to help get businesses back open as swiftly as possible. And most importantly, we kept people safe. 

We did our job. 

President Trump should start doing his."